The Owyhee Canyonlands are one step closer to gaining federal protection.

On a Friday voice vote, the U.S. Senate passed the Malheur Community Empowerment for the Owyhee Act, which would designate more than 1 million acres as federally protected wilderness centered around Eastern Oregon’s Malheur County. Also known as the Malheur CEO Act, the bill is sponsored by U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon.

In a statement, Wyden said he hopes the bipartisan support for the bill “tees up” passage through the House of Representatives next year.

“The holiday celebrations can start a few days early with tonight’s historic and huge victory for the Eastern Oregon ranchers, Tribal leaders, conservationists and recreation lovers who worked with me to design this landmark legislation for one of America’s most spectacular landscapes,” he wrote.

Initially introduced in 2022, the Malheur CEO Act gained momentum in recent days after U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, said he would work to “pass bipartisan legislation” after previously voicing skepticism over the proposal.

The Owyhee Canyonlands have been a flashpoint in Eastern Oregon for years.

Environmental groups like the Oregon Natural Desert Association have long argued that the canyonlands, which straddle the Oregon-Idaho border, are a critical habitat in need of protection. Opponents countered that federal protections could hurt ranching and the natural resource industry in the rural county.

Wyden helped convene a working group to reach a compromise, and their recommendations helped form the basis of the Malheur CEO Act. Bentz publicly opposed Wyden’s bill and wrote competing legislation, but also signaled his willingness to negotiate.

The latest version of the bill provides “operational flexibility” for cattle grazing, directs the U.S. Department of Transportation to work with Oregon to build new loop roads on the land, and establishes the Castle Rock Co-Stewardship Area with the Burns Paiute Tribe.

Environmental groups have generally supported the Malheur CEO Act while still pushing President Joe Biden to declare the area a national monument, a process that adds federal protections to the land while bypassing Congress.

Wyden and Bentz oppose a national monument designation, and advocates are running out of time to make their case. President-elect Donald Trump will take office on Jan. 20 and his public lands policy during his first term favored the natural resource industry, making a monument designation unlikely.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2024/12/23/owyhee-protection-bill-passes-us-senate/